Only for prospective Boaters! :-)

[ms_jinxme]

 I've had a fair few prods now from people to share some of the basics of living on boats & boat buying. Recalling well the struggle I had to find comprehensive information on the web when I attempted to research, I can fully appreciate the need! So, to give you all a good starting point, I have compiled a 'basics' under the cut. It's mostly

Comments

[alixandrea]

Excellent run-down, with some info I didn't know. Don't think there's anything I would add either apart from that the costs you mentioned can vary even more widely. Oh and don't forget the Boat Safety Scheme Certification, which is needed every four years and is a lot like an MOT. Ours cost £100 for the test and we had to do a bit of work, replace old fire extinguishers etc. for. :-)

I can't believe how little gas and coal you use!! Helena was only four feet longer than your boat and we went through a lot more than you!

[alixandrea]

*Grin* the trouble with burrowing under duvets is the getting out of them the next morning... ;-) I used to grab my clothes from the dressing room and run down to the saloon where I'd dress in front of the fire on a winter's morning. I don't handle cold very well it would seem...

[glensc]

Tip : Leave the mornings clothes within arms reach when you go to bed.
When you wake up, grab clothes and pull them under the duvet with you, in a few minutes they're then at pretty much the same temperature as you and ready to be put on, quickly. If you can get your top half clothed before you pull the duvet off your bottom half that's even better.

[alixandrea]

The first year we had the boat, before we put the fire in, we only had gas central heating. We ran out of gas on Christmas morning and of course nowhere was open to get more until after Boxing Day. We spent a lovely warm Christmas Day at my aunt's place, then went home to our now freezing boat. There's only one time since then that I've ever been as cold as I was that Boxing Day night*. Anyway, we did exactly as you described with our clothes that night, except that we kept them in the bed with us all night long - I think we actually wore most of them to bed

[ms_jinxme]

*Laugh*! I ran out of gas last weekend & had to wait 5 days for the delivery to come up the river - never eaten so many salads in my life! But luckily enough I've always had a stove.. albeit a little misplaced at one end of the boat, making the 'bed-end' still cold. Having mains electricity though I have splashed out on the luxury of a heater, which I turn on and stand in front of when getting dressed. But still, *freeze-shudders* some days!

[alixandrea]

FIVE DAYS?? I don't know about you bu I need warm food in cold weather - well done you for managing to live on salad until you got more gas

[ms_jinxme]

No, I agree ~ the constant running of engine to top up batteries is annyoing. I also felt guilty about all the diesel I used up. But then you're damned if you do, damned if you don't; it's not like mains from the mooring as any more enviromentally friendly. I hope to install some solar panels soon to feel a bit better about it.

Heating is still an issue with my boat, but as I'm coping ok with what I have, I'm not in a rush to fix it. But it's good to hear about various solutions though! My main gripe now is the cold water, although even that I'm pretty used to now. Salads for five days though... that was hard. ;-)

[alixandrea]

Oh Gods yes, the battery top-up... I'm definitely having solar panels on the next boat, no question. Eventually I'd like to be able to moor on a bit of land where we can have a shed and a garden. In the shed, I'd like to have a biodiesel processor and make my own; that way I'd never have to feel guilty about diesel again

[glensc]

I could have easily sorted you out for a way of at least cooking hot meals, if there's a next time give me a call, I have a few spare camping stoves using differing fuels. Last time there was a power cut here I though it was an exciting excuse to get out some of my bushcraft/camping gear :)

On the portable gas side these type are close to having a fixed stove type
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001W78P0W/ref=asc_df_B001W78P0W2724841
And you can also get an attachment to use them as heaters, though I don't know how well they work a teracotta plant pot works quite well.

[ms_jinxme]

haha, really really cold mornings I have ended up doing that! tricky not creasing the clothing though.. ;-)

[ms_jinxme]

;-P...